Guardian Of The Betas Heir

18 - What happened?

Michael

Elenor’s pale face as she stands, unmoving, eyes as white as fresh snow, has me narrowing my eyes. Concern fills me because this is like nothing I have ever seen before.

It’s like she’s nothing but a body. This is beyond weird!

I asked my grandparents to take Sylva out of the room because I didn’t want her to see Elenor like this. Sylva cried for a moment before my grandfather promised her ice cream, and I promised I wouldn’t leave her.

I have some work to do to make my daughter feel safe. She asked me not to leave her four times since we walked into this room. If Sylva couldn’t see me, she would begin to cry. It cut me up because I did that to her. I can never take back what I have done, but I will give it everything I have.

We were all having a nice chat while Sylva clung to me when Elenor suddenly stopped talking. Her body went rigid, and her eyes clouded over white. Everyone went silent as we all watched Elenor standing stock still.

Sylva got upset, calling for Elenor, and I knew she could not be here to witness whatever came next. No child should see the woman they believe is their mother like this.

I haven’t been able to live down the fact my child calls her Nanny Mommy. Everyone but my mother thinks it’s wrong. And Mom told everyone through the mind link that they weren’t to say anything to Sylva. They were entitled to their opinion, but that did not mean it was the right one. My daughter knew hardly anyone but the woman who had raised her as if Sylva was her own. Sylva knows Elenor isn’t her birth mother because Elenor has told Sylva enough times. No one is forcing my daughter to call Elenor Mommy; my baby does that because she wants to.

I’m not going to worry about it any longer. It is what it is.

With Sylva out of the room, I watch Elenor, my eyes narrowing further; the silence around us is thick and palpable. I don’t understand what happened. It had been a perfectly ordinary afternoon, filled with comfortable chatter and laughter, until Emma’s innocent question had pierced the air like a shard of ice.

‘Do you have any idea who your mate is?’ Emma had asked, her curiosity genuine. But the moment the words left her lips, the room had stilled, and Elenor’s gaze had drifted away, her expression slackening.

Of course, I know that Elenor hasn’t a clue who her mate is. Von and Edmund wouldn’t be out there searching for him if she did. With all the revelations surrounding Elenor, her mate, and the fake pregnancy, the woman was bound to snap eventually. I just had no idea it would be now, in front of all these people.

My family exchange puzzled glances. The room is filled with tension, yet no one says anything. I move closer to Elenor, searching her now-white eyes for any clue of what could be happening. But it’s like she’s suddenly a statue.

What the hell is going on?

I know Elenor’s lineage is complicated, a pattern of Demon, Vampire, and Dragon, but I have never seen anything like this before. Not that I’ve met many tribrids like Elenor, but still.

The Demon, Luke, who my brother is named after, studies Elenor with a keen interest, his eyes sharp and unblinking. Thane had called for Luke the instant Elenor froze. Luke has been with this family longer than most of us can remember. I certainly wasn’t even thought of, let alone Thane, and he’s almost two hundred years old!

Luke was there the day my younger brother was born. Dad was off somewhere, and Mom couldn’t get in contact with him. She’d gone into labor and was terrified she would lose the baby. She needed Dad, and nothing anyone said would calm her down.

Mom began to struggle through the birth, and no matter what anyone did, they couldn’t help her. Grandfather Leviathan turned up and swore he would not let Mom die. While Leviathan helped Mom heal, Luke held her hand and spoke calmly to her. He made her smile as he chatted about what Dad was like when he was a child.

Luke stayed with Mom while Thane and Theo brought Dad home. As Dad walked through the door, my baby brother was born. Luke had kept Mom calm enough for her to give birth. He was her rock when she needed someone.

Dad held Mom and their new son close, thanking Luke for all he’d done for Mom. It was then that Mom said she wanted to name the baby after Luke. Of course, the Demon was stunned but honored.

Luke has never found his mate, and he has no children. He’s hundreds of years old, and I don’t ever remember him having a girlfriend or boyfriend. I’m not sure which way he swings. He seems to enjoy being alone.

Each to his own, I suppose.

Now, as Elenor hovered on the edge of consciousness, I find myself looking to the Demon for answers.

“What’s happening?” I ask, my voice is low and urgent. “Is she okay?”

Luke steps closer, his movements fluid and silent despite his bulk. “It appears Elenor is in a Borian trance, a rare occurrence for one of her kind.”

“And what’s that?” Thane asks.

I’m glad he asked that because I have never heard of such a thing.

Luke doesn’t take his eyes off Elenor when he speaks. “It’s a defense mechanism that tribrids like Elenor use to protect themselves. It’s not common, and not many ever use it. However, it seems something spooked Elenor enough for her to do this. Something or someone has triggered it.”

“Like what?” Lyric enquires.

Luke shakes his head in thought. “Anything. A word, a thought, even her eyes catching something that would trigger trauma. She’s had a traumatic past, yes?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “It hasn’t been good, that’s for sure.”

“I see.”

“Can you bring her out of this?”

Luke looks at me. “I’ll do my best, but it’s not something I can easily explain. I think we need to look inside her mind and find out what’s going on.”

I was afraid he was going to say that.

His gaze turns back to Elenor, a hint of concern in his tone. “We must tread carefully. Her thoughts could reveal much but also be dangerous. I also must impress that whatever is going on in her head could be fact or fiction.”

“You mean she could be locked in reality or something she’s imagining?”

Luke sighs. “Sort of, Blaze. What might not be true could, in fact, be something she greatly fears happening. In order to pull Elenor out of this, I need to see what she is seeing. So, I need you and Michael to join me in looking inside her mind.”

I hate doing this because seeing the pain in someone else’s mind is never fun. I went there with Ava, and I couldn’t stand it. Though Elenor isn’t related to me, it won’t be easy to witness. This is the woman who loves my daughter like her own. The woman who has been there for Sylva every moment of every day. I promised Von and Edmund that I would protect Elenor, and that is what I intend to do.